I’ve been reading 4e just like everyone, but probably going much slower. I’m still not out of the PHB yet, to be honest. But, I’ve also been reading the 1e core books recently, and I’ve still got a vested interest in 3.x despite its many flaws. I know that my gaming group is probably not going to embrace 4e, and truthfully I’m not sure I have the attention or energy to really learn the game right now. What I am interested in is dissecting all the work that WotC R&D did on the game and gleaning what I can from their design choices.

To that effect, I’ve started a new project on The Gamer Dome Wiki called 4e to 3e Conversion, where I’m taking some of the innovations and changes in 4e and imagining,

“What if WotC had just fixed 3e?”

Here are a couple of my first stabs:
Cleave
Prerequisites: Str 13, Power Attack
Benefits: Whenever you make a successful strike, deal your Str modifier in damage to an opponent adjacent to your original target.

Wizard

Cantrips
- All cantrips (0-level spells) can be cast at will.

At-Will Spells
-When a wizard gains the ability to cast a new level of spells (at 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, 15th, and 17th level), he may choose one spell of at least two levels lower than his maximum to cast at-will. At 3rd level, the wizard may choose a 1st-level spell even though it is not at least two levels lower. He no longer needs to prepare that spell, and may cast it an unlimited number of times per day. An at-will spell is cast at the minimum possible level. He may still prepare the spell and cast it at normal caster level if he chooses.

At 10th level, at-will spells are cast at minimum+2 level.

For example, a 3rd-level wizard chooses magic missile as an at-will ability. At 9th level, his at-will magic missile still only deals 1d4+1 damage, but if he prepares the spell it will deal its normal 5d4+5 damage.